Sunday, May 29, 2011

All of that pretty, "pool-colored" yarn I posted about 2 months ago has turned into this:

Eleven, lovely, crocheted clutches! My good friend, Kate is getting married today and her bridesmaids and other special women at the wedding will be getting these. Aren't they lucky?? ;)

I found the pattern for the Granny Stripe Boutique Bag at Tangled Happy. This was Sara's first pattern, isn't it great? She is always finding the best crochet projects on the web--if you need inspiration just go there!

Almost all of these were done with your basic Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn, one was done with some Lion Brand Cotton and two were done with Cotton Ease. Kate had given her bridesmaids some paint chips in various shades of blue, green and purple and gave them free reign to just find a dress that would match. Isn't that brave? So I got a set of paint chips as well and got to search high and low for the perfect colors of yarn--such torture! I did come out on the other side realizing that there is a serious lack of teal yarn out there and lots of pink yarn.

I am so happy I was able to find the colors that I did. And I'm glad I don't have to pick my favorite one! Kate claimed the pretty seafoam one between the bright turquoise and purple ones (upper right).

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Six years of T-ball and Coach Pitch will get you one thing: baseball. Real, honest-to-goodness baseball with stealing, score keeping,spitting and scratching. The jury is still out on how I feel about this. One moment I am loathing that it is beginning to feel like a part time job (and terrified that this is just the tip of a giant iceberg) and the next I am loving watching Simon grow into becoming a baseball player.

Have you heard of Inspired Ideas Magazine? It might just be one of the best ideas on the web--a (primarily) web-based magazine that is chock-full of clever ideas, things to craft and great tutorials. I don't remember how I found her Christmas issue this past winter...but I poured over it and made several things from it. My sister and I spent and entire day making incredible Advent Calendars with mini muffin tins and scrap booking supplies (seriously, they are incredible) and a garland of mini gifts.

Truly, there are great ideas in her magazines and on her blog. In celebration of the Birthday Issue of Inspire Co., Amy Powers is hosting a Birthday Treasury Swap! I just got information on my partner--and I am really excited to create a shadow box for her. I love finding little things...and now I need to search for a little inspiration.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

I love giving a homemade gift. And when I can give a homemade gift that someone will LOVE and when I can get that gift done with little to no stress, that is the best. Last month I started working on this:

Can you tell what this is? Have you seen it before? I don't know how I came about this but I bookmarked it ages ago, waiting for the perfect recipient. And then I met them! And it was nearly going to be a housewarming present...but I didn't have time. A few other occasions came and went but when Kate's bridal shower at church was on the horizon I just had to buckle-down and get it done.

It was kind of hard to give it up--but when Kate threw back her head and laughed, I knew it was going to the right home. I mean, they actually use their XBOX for more than just a glorified movie machine.